In the past the ladder or scaffolds have provided the usual means for enabling a worker to operate at elevated positions. Some of the deficiencies of these devices have been the inconvenience and slowness of their transport to the point of use, as well as a general loss of time, lack of maneuverability and overall lack of working ease for the worker in the elevated position. Some attempts have been made to provide powered manlifts for lifting and supporting an operator in an elevated position. Most of the prior art units are relatively large rigs geared towards outdoor usage such as in construction, fruit harvesting, and mining. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,249,900, 2,632,530, 2,989,140, 3,384,201, and 3,817,346 are representative of these types of manlifts. Other prior art manlifts such as the manlifts disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,016,973, 3,095,945, and 3,509,965 are smaller and more mobile than the previously mentioned manlifts and are suitable for indoor industrial usage such as in maintaining elevated building fixtures, utilities, and machinery.
One area where mobile manlifts are not generally utilized is in service or construction activities carried out in commercial establishments such as in restaurants, hotels, stores, and the like where limited space and carpeted floors prevent the operation of a large or heavy manlift. In the installation of draperies and drapery rods in commercial establishments for instance, simple platforms or ladders are generally used instead of mobile manlifts for supporting workmen in elevated positions because the prior art manlifts are generally too heavy and not maneuverable enough to be effectively utilized in the building interiors.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a highly compact and highly maneuverable powered manlift cart suitable for use in general construction, remodeling and maintenance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile powered manlift cart characterized by a two speed drive for vehicle movement and a power-driven steering arrangement for maneuvering the cart.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a compact manlift cart having a novel mast arrangement for raising and lowering an operator to different heights.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a powered manlift cart that can be maneuvered by an operator while situated either on or off the cart.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a self-propelled cart having dimensions and wheel maneuverability to pass through conventional doorways on which there is mounted an extensible mast arranged with a platform and a single control rod operated by the worker on the platform to selectively move the cart, turn the wheels and raise the mast to locate the worker at a selected elevated location.